Infinite Wind
by Pikture Imperfekt
Summary: A collection of short stories featuring Jin, Mugen, and Fuu during their travels together. Fuugen. Mugen/Fuu. I want to write a longer fic, but my attention span is too short. Please R&R.
1. A Spark

**A spark**

 _Mugen does something horrible to Fuu, and then something not so horrible…actually kind of sweet?_

...

The trail was dark as Mugen made his way back to the small hut they were staying in. Potholes had already tripped him numerous times, and each encounter with a protruding root or rock brought him closer to planting his face in the ground. As far as Mugen was concerned however, even if he arrived back with a face-full of dirt, the night would have been worth it to the now tipsy vagabond. Bottomless sake and beautiful women have a way of convincing their clients that nothing else in the world matters.

Before he found himself at the local brothel, Mugen had gotten bored sitting around watching Fuu sniffle and cough. She had come down with some bug a few days after they arrived in town. Jin had suggested they hunker down there until Fuu had her strength back. Being the type he was, the samurai had gone out to collect various medicines and herbal mixtures from the local shops, leaving Fuu in Mugen's care. Being the type Mugen was, playing caretaker wasn't exactly his specialty. So, he had thrown a pile of logs on the fire and went out for "a bit."

Mugen rounded the corner where the trees cleared and the hut stood. Through his drunken haze, Mugen recognized that something was off about the small dwelling. He squinted at it for a moment, trying to focus his vision. Then it hit him.

The hut was dark. The fire had obviously gone out. Jin wouldn't stop nagging him about something earlier. What was it? He had told him to keep the fire going because…

 _Fuu._

"Shit." Mugen huffed and began scrambling up the path. The metal plates on the bottom of his shoes clacked noisily has he got to the porch. After struggling briefly with the latch, Mugen threw the door open harder than was necessary and stumbled into the room.

The fire was definitely out, though orange coals still glowed at the bottom. It had probably been out for a little less than an hour. In the dimness Mugen's eyes found Fuu, huddled up under a pile of blankets. As he moved closer he saw that her body was trembling and her teeth chattered.

 _Double shit._

Mugen knelt down next to her, banging his knee on the floor and letting loose another string of profanities. "Hey," he muttered. "What's the deal?" He leaned over her, noticing her still-pale complexion and sweat-lined brow.

"C-c-cold," was all Fuu managed through her chattering teeth.

Mugen grimaced. "Well what the fuck you let the fire go out for?" Fuu only shivered in response. Her unwillingness, or perhaps inability, to argue with him was maybe - just maybe - starting to worry him. He had become so used to her loud outbursts, even if he did find their in-your-face quality to be obnoxious. Something wasn't quite the same without her yelling at him about some insignificant thing. The ex-pirate sighed loudly. Staggering to his feet, Mugen tossed several more logs onto the fire and blew the coals until a flame picked up again.

Returning to Fuu's spot on the floor, Mugen sprawled out next to her. "That ought to do it," he grunted. "What's-his-name still not back yet, huh?" He scratched his chin and tried to act cool.

"You know his name," Fuu said almost inaudibly. She pulled the blanket up to her nose and took in the renewed warmth from the fire.

"What, four-eyes? Sure, I know his name," Mugen closed his eyes and tried to relax but Fuu's ragged breathing led him to distraction. "Are you gonna be like that all night?" He said in with an agitated tone. Without really waiting for a response, Mugen reached his long arm over her, tugging at her shoulder so that she might roll over.

"Come 'ere if you're that cold," he muttered. Fuu turned hesitantly toward him but couldn't resist taking him up on his offer. She snuggled closer, her head tucked under his chin. Her body still shook from the chill, causing the normally indifferent Mugen to frown in regret. He unconsciously tightened his hold around her.

"Sorry," Mugen stated plainly, though it was sincere. "You'll be fine." He meant this as more of a comfort to himself than to her.

"Easy for you to say," Fuu retorted weakly. "You didn't almost freeze to death."

Mugen scoffed. "You weren't gonna die…" The room fell silent again.

 _But if you did I would never hear the end of it_ …Mugen thought to himself. _Four-eyes would find a way to make sure I could never live it down._ He found himself playing with a loose stand of Fuu's hair. Her usually sleek style looked almost as unruly as his from all the laying around in bed. He found that strangely amusing.

"Did you have a good time?" Fuu asked quietly. The vagabond froze.

Mugen remembered muttering something about going out for some 'real' fun with some 'real' girls when he thought she was asleep a few hours ago. He couldn't tell whether she was mocking him or not with her question. Technically, he did have a good time. The food and drink hit the spot and the babes he paid for knew _just_ what buttons to push. However, there was something in the back of his mind the entire time that he had tried to push away. A feeling that he was missing something, perhaps _someone?_

"Yeah, I guess," was Mugen's curt response. Fuu felt his chin hairs tickling her forehead as he spoke. He didn't seem as enthusiastic about a night of drinking and brothel-hopping like he usually was. If it weren't for her grogginess and general poor condition, she might have interpreted it to mean something. In that moment however, the idea that Mugen felt guilt or even concern was beyond her mental and emotional capacity. Not only that, but his chest was so warm and inviting and the feel of his arm around her was lulling her to sleep.

"Don't leave me," she murmured as she drifted off to sleep.

...

Jin made his way up the dark path, a bag of assorted remedies cradled on one arm. He had a feeling the old medicine man he visited had given him the run-around. Three different kinds of herbal tea, a full bag of _togarashi_ , a leek wrap, ginger root, daikon radishes and honey, _umeboshi_ , incense, and a good luck charm seemed excessive to him for a mild cold. But then again, he was a samurai not a doctor. Luckily the samurai had enough money from a recent job to pay for it all. As he rounded the corner, a look of confusion briefly flashed across his normally stoic face. The hut they had commandeered was still standing, fortunately, but was glowing as if the sun was hiding inside it. Jin hurried up the hill, not sure what to expect.

The first thing Jin noticed upon entering the hut was the roaring fire. It was significantly larger then it was when he left. The blaze was dancing half-way to the ceiling and it crackled loudly, sending sparks skittering across the floor. Then Jin observed Mugen, propped up against the wall next to his sword and his arms folded snugly across his chest. The usual scowl was etched across his face. Finally Jin's eyes came to rest on Fuu, whose sleeping form lay in front of the fire. Her chest rose slowly with each breath, indicating to him that she was at least still alive.

Then Jin noticed something that wasn't there earlier. Its presence surprised him a bit. Raising an eyebrow, Jin glanced back over at Mugen, whose stone-cold expression had softened and was now fixed on their young companion. When Jin continued to study him, Mugen just closed his eyes and shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

On top of a sleeping Fuu was Mugen's red haori, draped over the top of her as an added layer of warmth.

...

Hope you liked it!


	2. Jealousy

**Jealousy**

 _Mugen decides to follow Fuu on errands one day in an especially turbulent_ _town. He doesn't like what he sees and how it makes him feel._

...

Fuu, Mugen and Jin had become accustomed to settling for less when it came to lodging. In their travels so far they'd slept in abandoned huts, dilapidated dojos, country shacks, and on the plain hard dirt. Compared to any of those, this was an upgrade: a dingy old inn on the outskirts of a chaotic town. For lack of some tumbleweeds and the place could have posed as an old western film set. The streets were dry and dusty. Suspicious characters wandered about the shops and loitered outside bars. The peace was shattered every few minutes by the sound of glass and bone breaking as a fight broke out somewhere. It was in this rough-and-tumble of a town that Fuu, Mugen and Jin had found their lodgings for the night. Jin found the constant violence and general lawlessness distracting, Mugen and his scowl blended right in, and Fuu was too preoccupied with the disappointing cuisine to notice.

"I'm going out for a little bit," Fuu announced. "We need groceries. I can't eat the greasy slop in those booths for one more night!" She let out an exasperated sigh, which was punctuated by the sharp sound of one of Mugen's toenails being clipped off and flung across the room.

"The slop don't like you either, girly," he grunted as he struggled with an especially thick nail.

Fuu paused on her way to the exit and frowned at the cocky vagabond, "Do you have to do that in here? The clippings are getting all over the place." Mugen said nothing in response, just continued to chip away at his dirty toes. Fuu briefly contemplated whether she should stay. From across the room, Jin wore a look of malice as he watched shards of keratin rocket past him. He seemed about ready to pounce and strangle Mugen to death. Her two companions hadn't been getting along lately, and Mugen obviously got a kick out of poking at Jin's last nerve.

"I can't stay here and babysit you two, so try not to kill each other alright?" Fuu huffed and spun on her heel. She was starting to accept the fact that she couldn't control either one of them so better to save her energy for more important things, like finding some decent food.

At the sound of the door slamming shut, Mugen finally looked up. Several moments passed, his gaze unwavering from dull wood grain of the door. Then, without a word, he swiftly jumped to his feet.

"Are you going after her?" Jin inquired stoically.

Mugen scoffed. "Hell no. I need some...air." He swung his katana over his shoulder and wriggled his freshly trimmed toes into his sandals.

Jin stared at him discerningly. At first he thought it necessary to remind Mugen of the condition of the town they were in, or the fact that their female companion had a propensity for getting kidnapped, robbed or hoodwinked into sex trafficking rings. Upon studying Mugen's demeanor more closely however, the samurai realized saying these things would be pointless. The pirate was definitely in pursuit of Fuu, not _air_ as he had so tactfully scrounged up. With a flippant wave of his hand, Mugen was out the door.

...

He hung back a ways as they entered the shopping district. Up ahead, Fuu browsed happily, oblivious to the vagrant following her. It seemed miraculous to him she had even made it to 16 years; the idiot didn't pay attention to anything going on around her. There had been at least three other guys who had tailed her so far, likely waiting for an opening to make off with her foodstuffs, that is, until they made Mugen out to be her boyfriend or something of the like. It went on unnoticed to Fuu though, her attention was elsewhere. Mugen noted the way her eyes lit up when she was handed a free sample by a vendor, the way she had to keep readjusting the bag of groceries on her hip, the way she made a wide circle around a guy who appeared to be peeing in the street.

Mugen stuck his hands into his pockets and meandered along behind her, pausing every so often at a booth in order to look less conspicuous. He didn't need the brat teasing him about being worried. He received several dirty looks from shop owners for hanging around but not buying anything, and he threw them right back.

After a while, he got bored. Fuu had a tendency to move slower than necessary. The time she took to pick out a single onion was incomprehensible to Mugen. He was about to ditch her when the klutz tripped and dumped her groceries all over the place. The vagabond rolled his eyes and couldn't help but chuckle. The girl was a walking catastrophe. Normally he wouldn't help in this kind of situation, but it was a golden opportunity to pick on her a bit. If she started asking questions, he'd say he was out looking for some entertainment, maybe a dog fight or something.

Just as he was about to make his way across the street, a young man about Fuu's age knelt down before the young girl and began gathering the scattered vegetables. Mugen froze in his tracks. His fists clenched and his expression darkened, subconsciously, of course. It wasn't the young man that frustrated him, or the fact that he cordially helped Fuu collect the rest of her things; it was the beaming smile Fuu gave him, like he was suddenly the most perfect, charming, gracious human being on the face of the earth. Mugen had never seen her smile at _him_ like that. And he had saved her _life_ on numerous occasions, not her stupid groceries.

With a puff of air through gritted teeth, Mugen turned and moseyed off. Maybe he'd find a bar or something. Maybe there would be some sword-slinging bum he could pick a fight with or a rough-around-the-edges lady of the night willing to pay to get him drunk. As he neared what looked like an "acceptable" establishment for accomplishing these things, Mugen unexpectedly made a b-line down an alley and came out back on the main street. Leaning casually up against a wall, he peered around the corner. Fuu was alone again, walking up the road back toward their room. She stuck out like a sore thumb in her pink kimono, perfectly styled hair and whatnot. She certainly got a few looks, but she in her eminence didn't seem to notice. Mugen watched as she climbed the steps and made it into their room.

He could just hear her now asking Jin, " _Where's Mugen?"_ Four eyes would answer without looking up, _"He went out."_ To which Fuu would grouse, _"That pervert. Probably out at some brothel again. Why does he need constant attention from women like that with me around? What's his problem? Blah, blah. Blah."_

Mugen smirked and headed back toward the bar. After all, he had to make this look good. He'd stumble in late, loopy and disheveled. Officially, he had gone out drinking, partying and troublemaking. He certainly hadn't been looking out for that little twerp, nor had he seen her making google eyes at that dopey looking do-gooder, nor had he noticed how it made him bitter that that fond look wasn't for him.


	3. Breaking it up

**Breaking it up**

 _Jin, Mugen and Fuu are heading back to their inn for the night when they come across a street fight. Fuu finds herself in the middle of it. What will Mugen do?_

…

The night was silent, as silent as a grave. And such quiet nights had a penchant for calamity. On this particular night, the three wanderers made their way toward the cheapest lodgings available in town, a mangy old motel that looked like it used to be a chicken coop. They were nearly there when Fuu noticed a group of shady-looking men near the tree line. They were assembled in a circle, shouting, kicking, and obviously beating something to a pulp. Upon closer inspection, Fuu saw that the 'something' was actually a young man, with his arms thrown around his head to protect himself.

"We should do something," Fuu implored.

Mugen grunted half-heartedly.

"We can't just let them beat him up like that!" She argued back, agitation creeping into her voice.

The vagabond picked at something in his teeth and shrugged.

"I don't think we should just –"

"Leave it alone, dammit!" Mugen groaned.

Fuu gaped at the back of the vagrant's scruffy head. "I've never seen you turn down a fight," she blurted.

"Get off my back. We've been walking all day and I'm fucking tired. What do I care if some guy is getting his ass kicked, I ain't some vigilante." Mugen reached up and laced his hands behind his head, letting out a big yawn to accentuate his point about being too exhausted to care.

"Jin!" Fuu exclaimed. Her dragging feet came to a stop. She was tired too. Her feet felt like bricks and her stomach grumbled, but one glance back at those punks gathered around a lone figure stirred something inside her. It made her angry, perhaps because she knew what it felt like to be the person no one stood up for.

It seemed, however, that neither of her bodyguards shared her empathy. "I have to agree with Mugen," Jin replied. "We don't know the circumstances. It would be wise not to get involved." The samurai adjusted his glasses with his forefinger and continued on their path to the inn.

"But – Wha – " Fuu stuttered. _What the heck has them so mellow? Since when does a fight go down that doesn't involve them?!_

"Give it up, girly," Mugen remarked over his shoulder. The rogue scratched his scalp as he ambled further down the street. "It ain't your business anyway. It's best to let those things – _**FUU!**_ _"_ Mugen hollered over to the young woman, who had spun around and was heading right for the gang of miscreants.

Her determination growing with each step, she shouted in the direction of the group of men. "HEY!" She furrowed her brow and puffed her chest a little, it seemed to gain her companions some respect on the streets. Before Mugen or Jin could figure out what she was planning, Fuu pushed her way into the group and stood before the limp figure on the ground.

"Leave him alone!"

"What are you, his girlfriend?" A tall and lanky man blurted, followed by a nasty chortle.

"I was passing by and thought I'd come over and ask what you think you're doing!" She pointed an accusing finger from one man to the next. Were they bigger up close or was it just her imagination?

Another crooked-looking character pushed forward and addressed the frazzled girl. "Move it, babe, before you turn into mincemeat for the wild dogs." He and the others edged closer.

The sound of screeching metal rung through the still night air and suddenly a lean arm stretched in front of Fuu, brandishing a sword. The five men didn't seem especially startled, but they halted their advance.

"Can I help you?" A husky voice asked from just beside her.

"Your bitch is in our way." The largest man in the group spat.

"Funny," Mugen smirked, angling the tip of his sword at the ring leader's neck. "From here it looks like you're in my way."

The other four men took a hesitant step back; their hands itched for their respective weapons. The fifth, however, looked entertained. "So which one of you girls are going to do something about it?" The man leaned forward and leered at the three wanderers, yellow teeth peeking out from his chapped lips.

Mugen seemed to take that as an invitation and slanted his sword back to strike. Suddenly a hand gently pushed down on his forearm and Fuu stepped out from behind him. "I don't need them to take care of a few creeps like you!" the young waitress snapped. "If it takes five of you to beat up a single guy I think my chances are pretty good!"

The burly man at the front of the group glanced at a bewildered Mugen, then to an irritated Jin before returning his squinted gaze back to the girl before him, as if contemplating whether the whole thing was a big joke. "Why don't you go home and play with your dolls, sweet cakes," he grinned down at her and chuckled, jabbing one of his buddies in the side with his elbow.

"Yeah?" Fuu's voice raised an octave. "Why don't you go pick on somebody your own size, pipsqueak?" She lurched forward, her fists clenched as she directed punch after punch into her opponent's bloated beer belly.

After taking a moment to absorb the scene before him – not so much the punches – the lead rabble-rouser tilted his head back and bellowed loudly. "What the hell is this?" He gestured to the girl in front of him with a flippant wave. "Looks like I'm getting' a free massage!" His gang snickered along with him; even Mugen gave a snort and relaxed his fighting stance. It seemed as though all of them, including her "reliable" bodyguards, were about to laugh the whole thing off, but then Mr. chapped lips made a mistake. With a firm hand, he grasped Fuu's slender shoulder and gave her a forceful shove backwards.

The whole scene moved in slow motion. Before Fuu had even hit the ground, her nimble but reckless companion was lunging forward. With one fell swoop, he slit that hand clean off. The other four came at him, weapons swinging haphazardly. Mugen knocked them back, one by one, until they all lay sprawled across the grass, heaving like beached whales. Suddenly there was a savage scream from behind him as his primary opponent charged forward, a sword yielded by his remaining hand. With seemingly no effort, Mugen swiveled and plunged his katana into the man's back. Crickets chirped rhythmically as the big body slumped to the ground with a thud.

After wiping his sword sloppily on the grass, the vagrant rose to his feet and gave Ol' Chappy's disciples a mischievous grin. "Who's next?" The lot of them scrambled from the ground before high tailing it across the road and down an alley.

A soft sigh from Jin broke the silence. "Once again, you've found a way to escalate the situation and kill needlessly."

"Whatever you say, four-eyes," Mugen shrugged him off and sheathed his weapon theatrically. "Oi! You takin' up permanent residence over there?!" He barked to Fuu, who was propped up on her hands and blinking confusedly at the body in the grass before her.

"No!" She shrieked. "I'm trying to figure out what just happened!"

"What the fuck do you mean?" Mugen grated.

Fuu staggered to her feet and marched up to her uncharacteristic hero. "I'm saying I was handling it! I didn't need you to swoop in and do _that_ ," she pointed to the bleeding heap on the ground. "We're not even in town one night and you already have a body attached to you!"

"So what?" Mugen laced his fingers and stretched his arms out in her face.

"I can take care of myself!" she said, batting his lithe arms away. "Since neither of you two boobs were going to do anything, I figured I'd stand up for –" Her voice cut off has she glanced down to see the helpless form she had been defending was nowhere to be seen.

"But – I – He's gone." She was startled by a hoot of laughter from Mugen.

"It's not funny!" She scolded.

Mugen slapped his knee and hollered again. "You did all that shit and the bastard just ups and leaves and you don't even notice!" He continued to laugh hysterically, quickly getting under her skin. Fuu stalked past him, giving him a pointed glare.

Back on the road, the three continued on their original trajectory. The distance slowly closed between Fuu, in the lead, Mugen, sauntering along behind her and Jin, who somehow had mastered walking with his eyes closed.

"That was pretty stupid of you," Mugen muttered when he eventually caught up to Fuu. "Going and getting in the middle of all that."

Fuu scoffed. "That's rich coming from you, _stupid_." It was the best she could come up with, she suddenly realized how utterly exhausted she was.

"Oh yeah?" Mugen raised a dark eyebrow.

Fuu nodded and gave a devilish grin.

"You don't fucking pay me enough to be always getting your ass out of trouble," he said with a sideways glance. Fuu pinched his arm playfully and stuck her tongue out, to which he responded by poking her in the side, stealing one of her hair sticks and running off with it.

It was a long walk back to the inn, especially for Jin, who despite having his eyes closed, could see what was really going on between his traveling companions.


End file.
